Quickly boiling the agave thickens it a bit; adding the strawberries while it’s still warm infuses the syrup with flavor and a pretty pink color. Blackberries or pitted cherries can be substituted if you wish!

Recipe Preparation

Preheat oven to 200°. Set a wire rack inside a rimmed baking sheet and place in oven. Bring agave to a boil over medium-low heat (keep an eye on it; you don’t want it to boil over). Immediately remove from heat and stir in half the strawberries and a pinch of salt; let sit until ready to serve. Save remaining berries separately for serving also.

Whisk flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and 1 tsp. salt in a medium bowl to combine. Whisk grated corn, eggs, buttermilk, vanilla, and ½ cup melted butter in a large bowl to combine. Add dry ingredients and stir with a rubber spatula until just incorporated (don’t worry about any small lumps).

Heat waffle iron until very hot; brush with butter. Working in batches and brushing iron with more butter as needed, pour batter onto iron (it should cover the entire surface; amount of batter needed will vary according to manufacturer). Cook waffles until golden brown and cooked through, 5–7 minutes. Transfer to wire rack in oven as you go.